Legs Side Research Articles

The Influence of Balance and Flexibility on the Performance of Freestyle Swimming

The aim of this research was to determine the influence of motor abilities on the success of performing a freestyle swimming, pre and post the completed swimming training program. The study was conducted on a sample of 90 female students, aged 11-12 years, fifth graders from primary schools in Novi Grad Municipality in Sarajevo, using 6 motor variables and 1 criterion. Regression analysis was used to determine the effect of balance and flexibility on the freestyle swimming performance. Analyzing the presented results of the regression analysis, it was found that after the pre-test measurement of the variables for estimating the balance, the following predictor motor variable had the greatest and statistically significant influence on the criterion variable: standing upright on the balance beam with eyes open (BETA) = .581, which is significant at the level of p<.001. For flexibility, the following predictor motor variable is: upper body bent forward while sitting with legs side by side (BETA) = .411, which is significant at the p<.001 level. After the post-test measurement of the variables for the assessment of motor abilities (balance and flexibility), the same variables as for the pre-test measurement had the statistically significant influence on the criterion variable (freestyle swimming of the sections 25 m long – crawl, chest or back swimming). At standing on the right leg longitudinally, open-eyed, on the balance bench (BETA) = .448, which is significant at the level of p<.001, and in flexibility the variable - bench ab with legs side by side (BETA) = .463, which is significant at the level of p<.001. All movements in swimming require well-developed flexibility (mobility), and in particular the mobility of the torso and upper extremities.

Incidence of deformations of the extremities of Simmental cows in different types of stalls

Problems with legs and various forms of lameness of cows, in intensive milk production, are the third significant problem occuring in this production, after mastitis and reproductive disorders, both globally and in our country. The paper analyzes the incidence of the deformation of legs of 145 cows of the Simmental breed in the Kolubara region, and the influence of paragenetic factors (housing/holding and type of stall/bedding and lactation) on the incidence of deformations. The obtained results show that, of the total number of cows assessed, 3.45% had "X" position of the front legs, 14.8% had a "X" position of the hind legs. The convergent position of the front legs was recorded in 35.86%, and divergent in 8.28% of animals. The convergent position of the hind legs was observed in 16.55% of cows, and divergent in 2.76%. The outward position of the front legs was observed in 4.14% of cows, inward position in 11.03%, and broad position in 4.14% of studied cows. Also, 17.24% of the cows had a so called sable like position of hind legs, and 7.59% showed steap angle of hind legs. The pronounced soft front leg pasterns were observed in 7.59% of the cows, and the soft pasterns of the hind legs in 33.79% of the total number of observed cows. The observed changes in the ankles in the shape of swelling were recorded in 1.38% of cattle on the carpal joint and 2.76% on the tarsal ankle. The damaged shoulder and body joint (scabbed shoulder) was observed in 43.45% of the total number of cows evaluated. Scores for the front and hind legs front, back and side views, varied at different levels of significance under the influence of the type of stall/bedding, while the scores for the condition of the hind leg pasterns varied highly significantly (p&lt;0.001) under the influence of the type of stall/bedding. The scores for the front leg pasterns and scores for shoulder and body joint were not significant (p&gt; 0.05) depending on the type of stall/bedding and the method of housing/holding of cows.

Genetic and phenotypic relationships between conformation and production traits in Ayrshire heifers

AbstractFirst lactation records for production traits (milk, fat and protein yields) and 17 linear type traits for 7169 Ayrshire heifers were analysed to estimate genetic parameters for type traits and to examine the relationship between type and production traits. A multivariate restricted maximum likelihood procedure fitting a sire model with sire relationships included was used for all analyses.Heritabilities for production traits were approximately 0·3 and genetic correlations among them were high (&gt;0·84). The estimates of heritabilities for type traits were mainly low to moderate ranging from 0·04 to 0·42. Angularity (0·80), beef shape (0·49), foot angle (0·53) and stature (0·46) had higher heritabilities. Generally phenotypic correlations among type traits were lower than the genetic correlations. The highest negative genetic correlation was between rear legs side and rear legs rear (-0·95) and the highest positive correlation between chest width and beef shape (0·93).Genetic correlations between type and production were low to moderate and were similar for milk, fat and protein yields. The genetic correlations between the production traits and chest width, udder depth and beef shape were negative but were positive between production and angularity, rear udder width and teat placement side.

Genetic parameters for type traits in the French Holstein breed based on a multiple-trait animal model

Genetic parameters for 15 linear type traits and milking ease score in the French Holstein breed were estimated by Restricted Maximum Likelihood using a multiple-trait animal model. The analysis was based on 28738 cows, daughters of at least 3 generations of AI Holstein sires and distributed over 16 samples of about 1800 observations (i.e., 6000 animals when nonrecorded relatives are included) The fixed effects considered in the model included age at calving, stage of lactation, herd-round-classifier and group of unknown parents. The genetic value of base sires were either treated as random, or fixed for sires with at least 10 daughters. Treating sires as fixed increased the heritabilities for udder traits while heritabilities of size traits and most genetic correlations were stable or slightly decreased. Most udder traits were rather highly correlated and exhibited heritabilities varying from 0.23 (Teat direction rear) to 0.35 (Udder-hocks distance). All size traits were very highly correlated (0.69 to 0.97) with heritabilities from 0.25 (Chest width) to 0.47 (Height at sacrum). The heritability of Rear legs side was found to be very low (0.07). These parameters are used in the multiple-trait animal model evaluation of type traits in the French Holstein breed.

Quantifying Dairy Breeding Goals. 1. A Technique to Elicit Decisions and Define Equations for Goals

A decision, obtained by forced choice technique, was used to quantify a perceived difference in total merit between cows taken pairwise. Information on milk, fat percent, and 15 type traits was used. The study consisted of 9,240 decisions by 91 respondents who compared pairs of hypothetical cows using simulated phenotypic scores displayed on two or three traits. Each decision resulted in the assignment of a perceived difference in total merit arising from only knowledge of the displayed phenotypic scores. Differences were fitted simultaneously to a function consisting of the sum of quadratic equations, each defined in terms of the single traits. Within respondent, the estimated quadratic equation for the traits milk, fat percent, rear udder height, fore udder attachment, angularity, rear udder width, body depth, strength, rump width, and rump length continually increased as phenotypic scores increased. Functions for rump angle and rear legs side showed a peak in merit values near the midpoint of the scale, whereas merit values for stature, teat placement rear, udder support, udder depth, and foot angle each reached an effective plateau.Pooled relative merits reported are probably greater than if perceived total merit comparisons had been made between real cows.